Best Physics Schools Near Parkersburg, WV (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Parkersburg, West Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs. Parkersburg has a population of about 29,461. Median household income is $44,675 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In West Virginia, the top-earning physics-related role is Software Developers at a median $121,000 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Parkersburg

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics programs near Parkersburg, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Parkersburg city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Parkersburg. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

West Virginia Wesleyan College

Buckhannon, WV 73.4 miles from Parkersburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,593
Avg net price $18,083/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Marshall University

Huntington, WV 75.1 miles from Parkersburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,354
Avg net price $7,502/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 100

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV 88.5 miles from Parkersburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,939
Avg net price $15,634/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all West Virginia schools on the West Virginia physics page.

Physics Wages Near Parkersburg

Occupation Median Annual Wage (West Virginia, statewide)
Physicists N/A
Biochemists and Biophysicists N/A
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $98,320
Mathematicians N/A
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $80,690
Engineers, All Other $118,800
Software Developers $121,000
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $56,610

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Parkersburg at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 29,461 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $44,675 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 18.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 87.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Parkersburg-Area Cities With Physics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Parkersburg, WV?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs near Parkersburg. The closest is Marietta College in Marietta, OH (11.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Denison University (76.5 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles in West Virginia?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles in West Virginia are: Software Developers ($121,000), Engineers, All Other ($118,800), Physics Teachers, Postsecondary ($98,320). Wages for Parkersburg workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Marietta instead of Parkersburg?

Marietta, OH is 12.3 miles from Parkersburg and has its own set of local physics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Parkersburg an affordable place to study physics?

Parkersburg’s median household income of $44,675 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Parkersburg while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and West Virginia public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Physics Programs

Other Programs Available in Parkersburg

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Parkersburg:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Physics Schools in West Virginia: Online Programs (2026)